Why the CORPS

Clanker

My story basically went along the lines of making it all the way through to final interview with the RAF, only to be knocked back for my criminal record, drunk at a football game and under age drinking??????

So all 3 forces were together in the same building, came out of the room at the top and straight downstairs to the ground floor, all with shirt and tie, straight over to the recruiting sgt, big blackwatch lad.

"What can i do for you?" I asked. Showed me the videos, named my first 3 that interested me RE, AAC, RCT. "Why not the watch laddie?" he asked, "what and walk all over the place?" no thnaks I said.

So looked at the videos in greater detail, rct all they do is drive, RE all they do is dig holes? what about those blue hat people, what they do?

"They fly helicopters after 2 years" he said reading from the recruitment flyer. That will do for me then and bowser mong I became.

LE

For what it is worth I joined in 1975 determined to be RMP. When I went to RSC they isisted that I put down three choices. So I listed RMP, Int Corps and AAC in that order. I only put AAC down because the guy who sat opposite me at breakfast wanted to join them. Little did I know that at the time the CSM of the RMP depot was binning abouy 90% of recruits. I also wasn't aware that AAC was under recruited and a priority for RSC staff to fill. So my next stop was Middle Wallop and the rest as they say is history.

Over'? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!â

Old-Salt

A childhood watching whirlybirds on TV. From 66-70 I spent ages 7-11 at Bracht (a brat, my old man was rag and oil). I used to watch the sioux's nip in and out of Wegburg Strip. From about four years old I was always going to join the Army, from about ten years old I was going to fly helicopters and from about 74 it was going to be the AAC (as they were about to start direct recruiting). Other than the plan I had to stay in and do the 22 (or compete with my dads 27 years), the rest of it went to plan..................Who was it who asked for my life story again?

Old-Salt

I nearly became a chef because of a spelling mistake.My paperwork said ACC not AAC until I pointed out the error!!
Who knows, with some hard work and slice of luck i could have been flipping eggs with a lofty air of confidence by now!!

War Hero

Being really honest I got sick and tired of my next door neighbour telling me how much more money he was on than me, when we were the same rank with the same service etc. He constantly said things like "don't moan, do the course". Flying soldiers was on TV at the time and he would regularly bang on the wall shouting "I'm on telly, AND I'm loaded!" then I could hear a loud "HA HA HA you poor loggie cnut"

So I did it. I didn't find it easy and now have stumps where fingernails used to be.

What appears to be a sloppy or meaningless use of words may well be a completely correct use of words to express sloppy or meaningless ideas.

Swinger

I went to a merchant navy college in London, right on the banks of the Thames, and was distracted by the constant noise of helicopters on the London heli routes, so I thought I'll have some of that. I went into a careers office in Southampton and asked the guy behind the desk how I could become a helicopter pilot. He said that I could join either the RAF or the Navy, but I had to either go to university or have more qualifications than I had, so those options were discounted. I said did anyone else fly helicopters, he replied that the RM did or this new outfit called the AAC (sept 1974). OK, what's the difference. The RM had only a few helicopters, you had to be a SNCO, and there were about another 14 ifs (if you pass this and get selected for that etc). The AAC had only 10 ifs, so I signed for the AAC. I was one of the first 50 direct entrants or so, I can only think of a couple who may be still serving with more time than me (Derek F**G and Bill W****t). Yep I made it on to a pilots course within 6 years, and am now into my 32 year of service, sadly I believe that I have had / seen the best of the Corps, but if I am still here then I have obviously few complaints.

1. Never share a trench with a man braver than you.
2. There is no such thing as 'Friendly Fire'.

Clanker

Attended the selection days at Sutton Coalfield. Initially down for being a tech in the Signals.

When interview came the Major there said I would have to wait 8 months for the next intake for being a tech or I could join the Air Corps the following Thursday?

Thought feck it, sounds good and I will a pilot in 4 years.

After a spell washing bubbles, driving a 4 toner, a clark and a storeman I realised it wasnt all it was cracked up to be! However, I did eventually become an Observer. So not all bulldust from the man.

Saying that, looking back, loved every minute of it.

I do believe can go where you want with the right attitude and ability in the Air Corps.

Now, if you excuse me, I will remove my rose tinted specs and get real!

A bit crap for a lot of years really, good blokes though!

17 stone and getting fatter! Is there still a spare seat on a Lynx for me??????